


Alternate Universe

by euphemiajamesx



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Blinny, Draco and Harry are work partners and it makes me happy, F/M, Fluff, GUESS WHO THE BLONDE IS, HP: EWE, sweet babies i need to write about them
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-27
Updated: 2016-10-28
Packaged: 2018-08-24 13:01:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,353
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8373190
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/euphemiajamesx/pseuds/euphemiajamesx
Summary: Blaise had thought he had been forgotten after the war. That is, until a party invite finds its way to him.





	1. Chapter 1

 

It was the party of the year... or something.

Tables upon tables of food and drinks. Lights strung up amongst the trees, casting soft and gentle lights on couples swinging in hammocks. There were WWW fireworks going off every half hour and he was sure that the entire wizarding population had turned out for this event. Or well, the good side.

He had been amazed to receive his invite. Bright purple parchment with sparkling gold letters "You're Invited!"

There was no RSVP required, you simply showed up. No one ever passed on a chance to be one with the Golden Trio and their family. You went to these parties and belonged, sucked into a crowd of redheads, butterbeer, and food shoved into your hands. It was peaceful and chaotic all at once. Blaise could see why everyone loved it so.

But why was he here? Who had thought to invite him?

No one paid any attention to him anymore. He hadn't been on the winning side. He hadn't been on the losing side. He was simply there, right on the outskirts. He had stayed alive during the war and then disappeared soon after. No one had given any thought to Blaise Zabini.

Or so he had thought.

Obviously someone had thought about him, or he wouldn't be standing at the edge of the Weasley property, purple parchment clutched tightly in his dark fist. He needed proof. Proof he was invited. Thought of.

Never before had he felt so incredibly alone. How did he feel so alone at this moment? All he needed to do was open the gate. Walk toward the massive crowd of laughing people. He wouldn't be alone then.

But nerves held him back. They had always held him back.

He knew what people thought of him. No, he hadn't been a Death Eater. He hadn't murdered anyone. Yet somehow, Blaise still received dirty looks and nasty hexes when he went out. Such was the life of a Slytherin. Forgotten yet hated, all at once.

"Hello."

Where had she come from? There had been no sound of apparition.

"Um... hello."

Merlin she was beautiful. All wild red hair and bright eyes.

"Are you coming to the party or not?"

And forward. She was very forward. He had always known Ginny Weasley was a spitfire. She was fire, all comfort and warmth. But dangerous, he could tell she was dangerous. He just wasn't sure how.

"Yes. Yes I was just..."

"Scared."

Damn her.

"Not scared. Never scared! I just wasn't sure if I was welcome."

Her hand was rough when it slipped into his. It spoke of battles and quidditch and country living. It thrilled him.

"Just, come with me," she whispered, "Be one of us tonight."

He didn't regret one minute of it.

Not the moment when Ron Weasley stared drunkenly at him and inquired loudly as to who invited the snake (Ginny hexed him).

He didn't regret Molly Weasley smothering him with far too many hugs. He would never admit it, but it did feel rather nice to feel loved. Even if thats just how the woman was.

He didn't even regret the moment when Harry Potter cornered him in that tiny little kitchen and demanded to know what Blaise's intentions were with his ex. In truth, he had none. Blaise didn't expect her to speak to him once the night was over.

The night had been absolutely wonderful. She had danced wildly with him, over and over. He had been able to run his hands along her strong arms, and marvel at how someone so small held so much strength. Breathe in the scent of honeysuckle that clung to her hair. Relish in the fact that, even if just for one night, he held the attention of Ginny Weasley.

It was the best night of his life.

Even the goodbye had been wonderful. Sometime after one in the morning, he had quietly wandered over to the spot that Ginny had occupied for the past twenty minutes. She was glorious as she argued the merits of the Nimbus 8000 over the Cleansweep G60. Never had he seen anyone so knowledgeable about a product that hadn't even come out yet.

He had leaned forward and whispered his goodbyes into her ear, a dull ache in his chest that the night could not last any longer. He only lingered on that ache for a second, wondering when he had gotten so damn soft.

But she, she gave wonderful goodbyes. Her strong arms had wrapped around his neck and her soft lips had brushed across his cheek.

"Don't go, the party isn't over yet!"

He had smiled widely at her then, wondering how the party could possibly still go on with one Weasley brother asleep in the bushes (a struggling gnome wrapped in his arms) and another curled up in a hammock that had found its way to the ground about an hour ago. And how could the party go on with the Golden Potter missing in the fields with some blonde?

"I should probably take my leave, I have work in the morning."

His words were met with a whiskey-fueled smile, "I'll owl you tomorrow."

Blaise was positive she would forget him in the wake of her hangover come morning. He would return to his quiet, lonely life with no letter from Ginny Weasley. Such was the life of an outsider.

She didn't owl him.

* * *

 

Morning welcomed him with the smell of bacon and the sound of the wireless playing some awful rock music. He briefly wondered if Astoria had kicked Draco out again, before realizing that Draco despised rock music. There was only one other person that could have taken over his kitchen at this hour, and Blaise was positive Theo was still in America.

Blaise imagined he had entered an alternate universe where good things happened to forgotten people. Where eggs, bacon, and pancakes littered the table come morning. A universe where Ginny Weasley smiled warmly at him from the table, spoon in hand as she tipped eggs onto a plate.

"I figured owling in the morning was a bit... trite."

An alternate universe where he would happily spend the rest of his days if it meant he would wake up to this sort of bliss (even if it included misshapen pancakes).


	2. Chapter 2

She found the ring tucked away in his underwear drawer.

It was beautiful, of course. He had chose to ignore both of their house colors, instead opting for a beautiful sapphire in a clean white gold setting. Just beautiful enough that the suck-ups who attended the Ministry functions would coo over the elegance of it, but simple enough that she would never feel the need to take it off during a match. It was a ring she would've chosen for herself.

But Ginny couldn't have that life.

It had taken her a week to work out what she would say to him, and she had to say something. Knowing Blaise, he would take her out to a romantic dinner when he chose to propose. He would pull out the box right when she had taken her last bite of tiramisu and slide it across the table to her. Likely, one eyebrow would be raised. Blaise would smile at her before asking her to open it. And then, he would have to pretend that he wasn't hurt when she said no. He would have to flag the waiter down. Keep his voice steady when he asked for the check.

He would have to escort her back to their flat because that was the right thing to do, Ginevra! Blaise would tuck the box back into his underwear drawer and smile at her. It'll be fine. It'll be okay. I'm not hurt, promise. He would have to tell her some lie so as to give her comfort in her rejection.

And Ginny couldn't have that.

Instead, in true Gryffindor fashion, she faced it head on. Ginny chose to tell him at the Burrow before lunch so that if he needed to storm off, he could.

"You can stop with all that bloody hip-rubbing and tell me why you're so nervous."

No one had ever said that Gryffindors were good at being surreptitious. Blaise smiled at her warmly from behind his morning Prophet before folding it up and tucking it into the cushions next to him. She was always finding papers in their sofas.

Ginny quickly made her way across the room and settled onto the coffee table before him as he stared at her curiously. You're a lion, Ginny. Be brave.

"I found the ring." Head on.

He allowed only a momentary flicker of surprise to cross his face, "Digging through my pants, then?"

"I just... cannot be my mother. I can't go through multiple pregnancies and stay at home and raise chickens. I can't give up quidditch and take up knitting. I can't organize the pantry to plan meals, Blaise! I can't do it. I won't do it! I can't-"

"-Who said a damn thing about-"

"-I can't do it, Blaise! I can't be a housewife, it isn't me!"

"-I never said-"

"-So no." Head on.

Instead of replying, or storming off, or arguing... he simply began to rub the space between his brows with the pad of his thumb. Back and forth, back and forth. And she sat there with her hands on her knees praying to Merlin that he would say something soon before anymore words spilled from her mouth.

Ginny listened to her mother puttering around in the kitchen as he continued his thinking, and if he looked a bit scared as he curled in on himself... she wouldn't say anything.

At last. "I don't... I don't need you to be a housewife. I don't need you to go through a rash of pregnancies. We don't even have to have children."

"You do though," she whispered, "You do! I saw your face when Percy and Theo brought home Amelia. I saw how badly you wanted that."

"But if I have you, thats all I-"

"-And then when Harry and Luna announced they were expecting? I swear you ignored all of Mum's screaming about how they had to get married because Luna had put your hand on her belly when the baby kicked! You WANT children, Blaise. You want a family!"

"WHAT DOES THAT MATTER IF IT ISN'T WITH YOU?"

He stood then, tall and brimming with hurt, "WHAT DOES ANY OF THAT MEAN TO ME IF I DON'T DO IT WITH YOU? I DON'T WANT IT, IF IT ISN'T WITH YOU!"

Damn him.

Ginny stood with him and pulled him into her embrace. It was the slightest comfort that his arms wrapped around her shoulders. Only slight, because she could feel him shaking. She could feel how far she had dug the knife.

"I was drowning, before you. You- you pulled me out and you helped me save myself. Ginny, you are the singular most important witch that I have ever known. I wouldn't ask you to marry me only to leave you at home with children, never you. I wouldn't... I couldn't do that to you," his voice was strained as he spoke into her ear.

She rubbed her face into his shirt in reply, not trusting her voice. So he continued on,

"We could still get married. And if you aren't opposed to children as a whole, well that is what adoption rituals are for. Of course you were never meant to be a housewife, but I- I could stay home. I could raise our children. It doesn't matter, just say yes! Just say yes and be with me, Ginny!"

It was the briefest of images that flashed before her eyes at his words. Of coming home after a long match to him cooking in the kitchen, probably something her mother had taught him to make. Wearing that terrible neon green apron he loved so. With a little one on a chair at the counter, just far enough that he couldn't reach the stove.

"Yes." Her throat was thick with all of the words she wanted to say. With words of love for him, that he knew her so well. With words of regret, that she hadn't given thought that he might've already considered that she would never want to abandon her career. So instead of words, she kissed him.

Two rough hands pulled his face down to her as she poured all those feelings of love and regret into a kiss that held both gratitude and hope. Hope that he would understand how grateful she was that he existed and that she knew him and that he loved her so.

And as he smiled against her mouth, she thought that maybe he had understood.

* * *

 

Harry and Draco had been more than helpful when it came to bringing by profiles of orphans from the WCPO. Almost annoyingly so in that one or both of them would pop in after nearly every meal with a wide smile and stack of files so large that it made her heart ache to think of all the children that had lost or been taken from neglectful parents.

This child was four and so sweet, really Gin. She talked Draco's ear right off!

That child had lost both parents, he needs someone to love him, Blaise!

The duo were very passionate about their job, no one could argue that. Harry would often go as far as to say that this kid had liked him from the start, so obviously he was a good pick for the family. Draco had smacked him for that one.

In the end, it hadn't taken very long to pick out a small boy with sad eyes and big hair, who waved gently from his profile photo. The photo had reminded Blaise of himself, and once he had made that connection there was no going back. And so tiny Walter Montgomery was adopted by adoption ritual at age two, forever becoming Fabian Weasely-Zabini.

And when asked to pick his favorite uncle, it was always Harry.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In my head, Blaise has plenty of reasons for wanting to be a stay at home dad and my favorite was that he was primarily raised by elves since his mother was generally off acquiring new husbands so he knows quite a bit about running a house and mostly just wants to be there with his kids.
> 
> Also, WCSO is the Wizarding Child Protection Office. Both Harry and Draco work as case workers within that department and that is how they became friends.


End file.
